Lunchtime Discovery: Punch Charming

After grabbing lunch at UBC the other day, I decided to go outside and enjoy my sandwich in the sunshine (just a couple of hours before it started hailing!) The university campus is usually pretty quiet, save for a few eager club recruitment officers. To my surprise, coming from outside the Student Union Building was a mix of indie goodness. Since there's no bad time to check out a new band, I sat down in front of the Knoll (that little green hill that's become an oasis among all the concrete going up on the campus) and listened.

The longer I sat there, the more I began to enjoy the band, who later introduced themselves as Punch Charming. They did a good job of mixing rock, punk, garage, and throwing in a few surprises along the way. Especially distinct were the vocals of singer Casey Wei, who sounded both melodic and raw. Even though the audience was small, with most students quickly shuffling past, all members of the band played hard, and put on a great performance for those that were watching. Even security seemed impressed!

After briefly talking to the band after the show, I found out that they will be performing at The Backstage Lounge on April 19th. Seeing the kind of energy they had while performing at the Knoll is incentive enough to go see them at a smaller and more intimate venue. If only every lunch hour was this stimulating!

Punch Charming plays with Shades of Gray and The Perks on April 19th at the Backstage Lounge. Tickets are $10.